VARIndia - INDIA'S FRONTLINE IT MAGAZINE

NetDevices to be No. 1 in Multi-Services Gateways Market within the next 2 to 3 years

It may be a branch office of a bank or an insurance company, yet it is the most profit-making and most transaction-intensive office. So, the requirement in terms of networking is as high as a corporate office. In this scenario, the HO looks at a solution which enables all the capabilities that a corporate requires in terms of routing, switching, security, wireless and at the same time less cost intensive. The solution is also asked to have flexibility, scalability and remote manageability so that in case tomorrow the branch grows, it can sustain growth. Here comes the role of NetDevices, which positions itself as the only specialist provider of branch office solutions.

These days, business is conducted on a 24X7 basis. Decentralization of enterprises is becoming more in vogue. As a result, the IT architecture has been witnessing a paradigm shift. As more business applications are being outsourced to branch offices, this is having a significant effect on the networking requirements to support the business. In order to keep pace with the rest of the business, branch office IT has to be standards-based and remotely manageable.

According to Nemertes Research, firms with branch offices have between six and seven devices at each branch office. This results in management complexities, multiple points of failure and, above all, high operational cost.

Hence, with a view to eliminating the multitude of devices, enterprises are taking steps to integrate many of these support services onto a single platform. The trend has been

Uday Birje Vice-President – India & ASEAN Region, NetDevices Networks

spotted by the router manufacturers who have begun to layer on additional services to a single device: multifunction routers now offer integrated firewall security, as well as support for VPNs. NetDevices, a US-based start-up, offers multi-function devices known as a “branch in a box” that perform branch-office network functions.

“These days, a new range of edge devices known as Multi-service devices that combine the functionality of Routing, Switching, VPN and Security functionality into a single platform are being deployed by enterprises. NetDevices is the pioneer in Multi-service platforms and is the first one to have introduced such a range of products,” says Uday Birje, Vice-President – India & ASEAN Region, NetDevices Networks. The company is focussed on providing leading-edge networking technology-based products for the new- age enterprise.

NetDevices has launched a new range of devices that are known as Service Gateways. These range of devices offer up to eight different functionalities or applications on a single platform. Functionalities include Routing, Switching, VPN, IDS/IPS, QoS, VoIP, Network Management, etc. These devices provide a significant reduction in CAPEX and OPEX for enterprises.

The company has launched the SG-8 and SG-4 range of multi-service devices so far. These devices also offer industry’s first Lifeline and ModuLive technology. NetDevices ModuLive modular operating system maximizes availability and greatly reduces the time required to deploy new or upgrade existing services. ModuLive provides complete software modularity, as new services are added or existing ones modified within a NetDevices SG-8, there is zero disruption to other services in operation. With its Lifeline management framework, the NetDevices SG-8 provides always available access to system management. All services can be managed remotely while appearing to be local, thereby eliminating the need for on-site intervention and delivering substantial operational cost savings.

All the products introduced by NetDevices are built on the Open Source platforms unlike other vendors that use proprietary operating systems/platforms.

What sets Netdevices apart from other companies is the innovation and sophistication of its technology. “NetDevices technology and architecture are state-of-the-art and are designed keeping in mind the current and future networking applications. The company is the first to have introduced Multi-Service Gateways that offer significant advantages over old and current generation network platforms available in the market,””says Uday Birje.

“Some of the differentiating factors include ModuLive and Lifeline that are patented technologies of NetDevices. NetDevices ModuLive modular operating system maximizes availability and greatly reduces the time required to deploy new or upgrade existing services. ModuLive provides complete software modularity, as new services are added or existing ones modified within a NetDevices SG-8, there is zero disruption to other services in operation,””says Birje.

“With its Lifeline management framework, the NetDevices SG-8 provides always available access to system management. All services can be managed remotely while appearing to be local, thereby eliminating the need for on-site intervention and delivering substantial operational cost savings,” adds Birje.

India is a crucial market for NetDevices. In India, the company is focussed on the enterprise market that includes Manufacturing, BFSI, Retail and Government sectors. The company has a state-of-the-art R&D facility in Bangalore which is involved in engineering, hardware & software development and testing activities for its hardware and software platforms. The facility is also involved in design, interoperability testing and technical support activities.

As far as distribution is concerned, NetDevices has adopted a completely indirect model. “We work through some of the best known System Integrators and Resellers in the network industry. We have complete coverage in India and ASEAN region through these partners,” says Birje.

As a part of its channel drive in the country, NetDevices offers certification training and marketing support for all our partners. “We are also in the process of introducing a few other innovative and aggressive market development programmes that will help our partners tap opportunities for the next-generation products introduced by us,” says Birje.

The company provides technical support and high-end TAC services to its customers. Onsite support is provided by its certified SI and Resellers for customers across India and the ASEAN region.

Finally…
Financially strong, NetDevices has invested a lot in research for developing its products. There is no doubt that it will give the mainstream networking vendors a tough competition. “We are currently focussed on building a mindshare for the new-generation Multi-services gateways and building some of the best reference sites for such devices globally. Our goals include development of focussed partners that have a penchant for promoting next-generation technologies and building networks that provide significant advantages in terms of CAPEX and OPEX saving for enterprise customers,” says Birje. “NetDevices is also focussed on being the No. 1 player in the Multi-Services gateways market within the next two to three years,” he adds.